Device for commercial radio reception and operation



Dec. 25, 1928. 1,696,519-

L. M. BOWMAN DEVICE FOR COMMERCIAL RADIO RECEPTION AND OPERATION Filed Sept. 29, 1926 INVENTOR. .522 M BOWMAN A TTORNE Y.

to Fig. 1,

, Patented Dec. 25, 1928.

UNITED TATES 1,696,519 PATENT OFFICE.

LEE M. BOWMAN, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOB F ONE-THIRD '10 JULIAN B. PRIME, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, AND ONE-THIRD TO TOM L. SHEPHERD,

OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

DEVICE FOR OOMMERCIAL ItADI My invention relates to radio mechanism,- and more particularly to a coin controlled radio mechanism whereby a master radio set is adapted to operate one or more individual I subsidiar Y radio sets by means of a coin, means being associated with said mechanism whereby the electrical connection between said sets may be disestablished, and at the sametime releasing the coin so that the subsidiary sets may not again'be operated until another coin has been inserted, said invention being especially adapted for commercial use in hotels, apartment houses and the like,

' where the individual subsidiary sets are po- 1 sitioned in diiferent rooms.

It accordingly is an object ofmy invention to provide a novel mechanism comprising one or more subsidiary radio sets operable from a master set, said subsidiary sets being in electrical connection with said master set b means of a pair of relatively immovable electrodes, one of which is adapted to be brought into engagement with the other by a coin controlled mechanism, means, prefer- SI ably in theshape of an electromagnet, being provided whereby the coin used may be released, thereby automatically placing the subsidiary set out of commission until another coin is used.

The above and other objects and advantages, as will hereinafter more fully appear, I attain by the mechanism'disclosed in the drawings and description in this specification, which form part of this application.

86 Reference is had to the accompanying drawings, in which similar reference characters denote similar parts. In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is apart sectional and part eleva-- tional view of my invention partly in diagrammatic form and partly broken away to disclose the interior of a suggestive form of subsidiary radio set to be used in connection with themaster radio set, Y

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary se taken on the lifie 2-2, Fi

direction of the arrows,

Fig.3 is a similar view on the line 3-3,

Fig.

Fig.

ctional view g. 1, looking in the 4 is a similar view on thelin e 4.--4,

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic viewof the elec-- tric circuits.

Describingmy invention more in detail, the numeral 2 indicates the master radio set 0 nncnrrron AND ormm-rion.

Application filed September 29, 1926. Serial No. 138,387.

having one of its leads 4 associated in any desired manner with the subsidiary radio set, 6 said lead being preferably connected to a suitable binding-post 8, positioned at any convenient point in any referred form of casing 10 in which the com controlled, coin releasing mechanism, as well as the electrodes for operating the subsidiary radio set are posltioned. From the binding post 8 the lead 4 is connected toanother binding post""12 which in turn is in circuit with the. post 14, a were 16 leading to the subsidiary set 6. See Fig. 5. Of course, this manner of connecting the master se't'to the subsidiary set is suggestive merely, and may in practice be changed as desired, and still remain within the province of my invention.

The second electric lead 18 from the master set is in electric circuit with a plate or other dance 20, insulated at 22 from the casing 10. as seen more particularly in Fig. 2, said lead 18 being connected to a binding post 24, which with the fastening means 26, also forms a means of securing the plate or other device 20 to the casing 10. It will be understood, ,however, that the precise form this feature takes in practice is immaterial.

The. plate or other device 20 also serves as a support for the movable electrode 28, which electrode may be associated with the plate 20 in any manner desired, and preferably is in the form of a curved spring-like or resilient member having. its curved portion 31 of such a s ape that it will engage the coin 30 to assist in holding the same in position, and at the same time establishing electrical connection with the stationary electrode 34 in also that these connections are suggestive merely, and may in practice be changed as desired. The stationary electrode 34 is also.

equipped with a portion 48, preferably of bent-over form to engage the movable electrode' 28 at the end of its curved portion 31. Any desired form of conductive and insulating'material may be used. The character of the binding posts, with insulator isalso inimaterial, it being understood that the elec-' tric leads are all insulated from the casing 10, except where grounds are needed.

If desired, the plate 20 and the stationary electrode 34 may be positioned within a separate compartment 50, defined by the partition 52, a slot 54 (Fig. 2) being formed in said partition in which the curved portion 31 of the movable electrode 28 moves, as seen more particularly in Figs. 1 and 2. The (30111-- partment 50, as well as the compartment 56. presently to be described, amist as a guiding means for the coin 30, said compartment being defined by a partition 58. Both partitions may be associated with the casing 10 in any manner desired, or both may be omitted. If preferred also, a coin guiding means 60 of any desired character may be provided so that the coin 30 may be accurately positioned to cause the electrodes 28 and 34 to make contact, said guiding means being associated with the casing 10 in any manner preferred, the coin slot 62 (Fig. 3) permitting the inserting of the coin.

Positioned in the compartment 56 is the combined electromagnetic means for releasing and holding the coin 30 in position, said means functioning to coact with the curved portion 31 to maintain electrical contact between the electrodes 28 and 34. The electromagnetic means comprises a solenoid 64 having its core 66 positioned therein, a securing means 68 being used for positioning said solenoid on the casing 10. A binding post 7 0 to which is secured the wire. 72 leading to the solenoid 64, has also connected thereto the lead 74 in circuit with an interrupting means in the shape of a. switch, push button or the like 76, which circuit interrupting means is in circuit with a battery 78, either that of the master radio set or any other, which battery is grounded at 80, the wire 82 being grounded on the casing 10 by means of the post 84 or otherwise.

The armature for the solenoid 64 is indicated at 86, and preferably comprises a pivoted lever, pivoted at 88, and has associated therewith the resilient retarding member 90, in the shape of a coil or other spring, a stop 92' being provided on the casing 10 to limit the movement of said armature, which armature is also equipped with a coin engaging projection 94. The casing 10 may be provided with a door 96, preferably locked as at 98, whereby the casing may be removed. It will be obvious also that any other preferred coin removing means may be provided.

The operation of my invention should now be clear. A coin 30, or check of some sort, being inserted in the slot 62, said coin or check is guided by the member 60 so that it is positioned accurately between the curved portion 31 and the ledge or rojection 94 of the armature 86, the end of t e movable electrode 28 establishing electrical contact with the stationary electrode 34, establishing electrical connections between the leads 4 and 18 of the master radio set 2 and the leads 16 and 46 of the subsidiary radio set 6. 'This c ircnit is continuously maintained as long as' the coin 31 remains'in position, and the subsidiary set may be used day and night until said coin is released, which is usually done at night, after all radio operations have ceased...

To disengage the coin 30, the switch, push button or other circuit interrupting means 76 is operated by the operator of the master set, or otherwise, and the battery circuit with the solenoid 64 is established, energizing said solenoid, which attracts the armature 86, against the action of the spring 90, causing the coin 30 to be dropped in the lower portion of the casing 10, and the mechanism may not be operated until a new coin has been inserted. The value of the coin or check may be any that in practice is desired.

While I have thus described my invention with great particularity, I do not propose to be limited to the exact details of construction shown and described, but reserve the right in practice to make any and all modifications thereof that fall within the scope of the appended claims. v

I claim as my invention:

1. In a radio mechanism whereby a master radio set is adapted to operate one or more individual subsidiary radio sets, a pair of electrodes for establishing an electric circuit between said master set and said subsidiary set, a set of appliances whereby a coin may coact with one of said electrodes to bring the latter into electrical contact with the other of said electrodes, and means for releasing said coin and breaking the contact between said electrodes.

2. In a subsidiary radio set adapted to be 0 erated by a master radio set, a stationary e ectrode in circuit with the horn of said subsidiary set, an electric lead from said master set to said horn, a movable electrode adapted to establish an electric circuit with said stationary electrode, and coin controlled mechanism for causing said movable electrode to establish said connection.

3. The combination of a-master radio set and a subsidiary radio set, a co n controlled devlce, comprising a casing having a com 1nserting slot, a pair of stationary and movable- Gil emme set, comprising a casing, said casing having a coin slot, a stationary electrode in said casing, said electrode having a curved coin engaging portion, a movable electrode juxtaposed to said stationary electrode having a coin engaging projection, and an electrical lead for connecting said stationary electrode with said subsidiary radio set, electrmmagnetic means for moving said movable elec-v LEE M. BOWMAN.

electrical means for energizing said 

